Arginine vasotocin from the pituitary gland of the lamprey (Petromyzon marinus): isolation and amino acid sequence.

Arginine vasotocin (AVT) was isolated from extracts of sea lamprey pituitary glands (Petromyzon marinus). The amino acid sequence Cys-Tyr-Ile-Gln-Asn-Cys-Pro-Arg-Gly-NH2 is identical to the molecule isolated from teleosts and tetrapods. The total yield was estimated to be 9.6 pmol per gland. No evidence could be found for the existence of a second neurohypophyseal nonapeptide in the lamprey pituitary.